Prosthetic devices for lower extremities in principle have a prosthetic foot and a below-knee part, which are connected to each other. The prosthetic feet can be fastened on the below-knee part in different ways; in addition to rigid fastening, a hinged arrangement of the prosthetic foot on the below-knee part is increasingly being used. Prosthetic devices, in particular those with a prosthetic knee joint, often have damping mechanisms, drives and controls, which are usually arranged in the below-knee part. The below-knee part thus assumes functions that go beyond that of simply connecting the prosthetic foot to a prosthetic knee joint.
The prosthetic feet have developed from a rigid imitation of the foot to complex structural parts which can have controllable damping and components for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. An articulated connection in the ankle area is also possible.
Prosthesis covers are used in order to ensure a cosmetically appealing design of the prosthetic device. In the design of a below-knee part as a below-knee tube, a plastic foam body is cut to the shape of a lower leg and modeled and placed around the below-knee tube.
It is also known from the prior art to use a stocking-like cover in order to approximate the appearance and look of a prosthetic device to that of a natural limb. A stocking-like cover of this kind is known from DE 2130168 A1. This stocking-like cover avoids the wear to which stockings are subject; it does this by having no direct contact with the surfaces of the prosthesis.
DE 10 2009 051 441 A1 relates to an artificial limb casing having an insertion opening for inserting an artificial limb, wherein a joint area is formed on the casing, into which joint area an end area is integrally connected into which a prosthetic foot can be inserted. There is a lower Shore hardness in the joint area than in the end area. An artificial limb casing of this kind has to be placed around the artificial limb, in this case a prosthetic foot, which is quite awkward to do. In addition, there are prosthetic feet which have a shape approximated to the natural foot and do not require any further covering.